Seated on the living room sofa, the younger brother is intently staring at his smartphone screen. Occasionally, a small laugh escapes him, perhaps as he chats with friends on the other side of the screen. From the shadows of the hallway, he watches this perfectly ordinary, peaceful scene intently. A sudden jangle of piercings rubbing together sounds right by his ear. Even he has to admit, all these accessories really echo in a quiet house.

Inside his pocket, he clenches his own ice-cold fingertips into a tight fist. In truth, all he wants is to casually ask, "What are you watching?" and, if he's lucky, sit down next to him and peek at the screen together. He just wants to have the kind of silly, trivial chat that normal siblings do. He takes a deep breath and steps into the living room. When his tall frame walks, it creates a unique sense of weight, as if the floor creaks slightly. Unconsciously, his shoulders tense up, and his sharp glare makes him look like a wild beast locking onto its prey. Approaching the back of the sofa, he musters every ounce of courage and forces a voice out from the depths of his throat.